When Darkness Falls, Light will Rise
by Bruc3y - B34r
Summary: I wake up from a scream all alone in a graveyard... What am I doing here? Why am I here? Who am I? I head towards the screaming... a woman... I know who this is! She's bleeding... and faint. She's on the verge of death... I must find her help!
1. Aomi

Chapter 1

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."  
-- Ambrose Redmoon

Aomi-

In the depth of my sleep, a loud screaming had awakened me. I wake up to find myself in a graveyard... Why was I here? How did I get here? What was that screaming? I need to know. I stand up to see the silver moon light shine on my silver jacket with the word MILESTONE on the back. I have jeans and a blue sweater on. I look down to find that I have no shoes on, but also to notice a pungent smell arise. I look at my hands to find that they are covered in blood. I look on the ground to see that where I had been laying was covered in a huge pool of blood!

I hear another scream. My pulse is racing. My hands are covered in blood, I'm sweating and I can barely keep still while my knees shake, but there is no other way to find the answer I seek. I dash towards the screaming without thinking; as if it was instinct. I've never ran this fast before. The wind brushing against my hair, the freezing snow under the balls of my feet, it is exhilarating to the point I don't want to stop; but I reach the location of the screaming. Everywhere the smell of blood prevails; there is no sign of anyone, until I see it.

I don't know why this is, but the body of this woman gives me a strange feeling. I walk closer to see her face more clearly. She was so pale she was nearly blue. She was bleeding from an injury in her side and her hands were even colder than the snow. I could hear her faintly, but she was breathing. I don't know why, but I feel that I know who this person is! She may even be the reason of why I am here... I know I need to help her. I take her on my back and run off. I have no idea where to go, but under all the loud sound of bristling through the trees and rushing through the snow, I hear her speak. She barely manages to whisper.

"S-Saul. I-is that you?" Saul... that sounds familiar... could it be me? Am I Saul?

"I... I'm not sure myself. I don't remember a thing ever since I woke up, but the most important thing is to get help for you right now." I reply.

"I know a place where you can take me, but it's impossible with me on your back..." She whispers.

"Tell me. We have no other choice." I demand.

"U-up the mountain... there's a cottage. It was where I was staying until it attacked..." She tells me. She is bleeding a lot. She can't hold on and faints on my back. I know where to go now, but trying to find answers has only left me with more questions. Who is this woman? What is it? Am I Saul? There is a whole mountain of questions I want to ask her... but right now I have to get her to this cottage, and quick.

I start scaling the mountain. It is freezing, I can't feel my legs and I barely make it up to find a cave. I know I am at my limit, so I bring the woman up into the cave with me. Her bleeding has finally stopped. I can hear her faintly breathing. I take off my jacket and drench it over her. It is very cold, so I huddle up next to her. We rest until the sun comes up. I feel weak, for some reason, even though I just rested. I take her onto my back again. She feels heavier than last night, but I try not to mind. I find a path up the mountain into a forest.

I walk into the forest, hoping it will be safe. As I walk through the forest, through the chirps, squeaks, and rustling, I feel someone watching us. I quicken my pace through the forest but no matter how hard I try I can not escape this presence I feel! It feels irritating to me, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck go up, and feels like it will suck the life out of me if I get too close. In the middle of it all I can hear them. The wolves in this mountain... they are angered by something, I can tell. They are howling, warning me, but I must get through! Suddenly a wolf jumps out of a towering pine tree, I freeze up in my place. I feel petrified, I have to move or the wolf may as well kill me along with this women.

This wolf does not have a hostile presence to me, it feels as if he wants to lead me. I decide to follow, he leads me with his pack, surrounding us. I don't know why but I feel strangely calm, but all the while I feel it again; the very presence I tried to escape. Some wolves run back, while others continue to lead on. We find the edge of the forest along with a cottage, we've finally made it!

"Thank you, wolves." I said. I have no idea why but, the wolves seemed to understand. I walk into the cottage to find two little girls with their mother in the cottage.

"Aomi! Thank God you're alright!" The mother shouts with great enthusiasm.

"Aomi!!" The children yell.

"Thank you so much! Excuse me, I don't seem to know your name?" The mother said gratefully.

"I can't remember a thing ever since I woke up... but please may you answer some of my questions? I have so much to ask." I ask her.

"Yes. I'll try my best to answer." She replies.

"Is this women your daughter? Is her name Aomi?" I ask.

"Yes, she is my daughter and her name is Aomi. How did you find her out here? My husband is still on the mountain, searching for her." She answers.

"I found her barely breathing in the graveyard under this mountain. After I picked her up she told me something attacked her, can you please tell me, what happened before she disappeared?" I ask.

"Aomi went out looking for our brother!" Yells the little girls.

"Yes... she went out looking for my son... we heard her screaming but my husband didn't make it on time to help her, I have no idea what it was but my husband saw what it was I believe." She said with a gloomy expression on her face.

"Thank you... you've been great help." I said.

"Please, rest. It's getting dark out, if you go out at these times the wolves may attack you." She pleads. Their mother lead me to the guest room, she gives me a new change of clothes and a bed to sleep in. I toss and turn in bed, I can't seem to sleep at all. I still have questions that even Aomi's mother can't answer, do I know Aomi? Does Aomi know me? Now that I think about it, Aomi is quite beautiful, she has hazel eyes, light brown hair and is very attractive...

"What am I thinking? It's not going to help thinking about such stupid things!" I said to myself. Suddenly, I hear someone open the door, It was Aomi.

"Hey..." Said Aomi.

"Do you need something?" I asked.

"No... I just came to thank you for saving me. I owe you my life." She says while walking towards me.

"Oh, it was nothi-," I stopped mid sentence, I nearly jumped. She gave me a kiss on my cheek.

"Good night, and thank you." She said with a smile on her face.


	2. A Rude Awakening

Chapter 2

"We are here and it is now. Further than that all human knowledge is moonshine."  
-- H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

A Rude Awakening-

The next morning I woke up, it's strange but I feel like I had already eaten. I look into the mirror and see the new change of clothes Aomi's mother gave me was covered with claw marks and bites, what happened while I was asleep? I look out the window and see wolf tracks, but why would a wolf sneak in and mangle my clothes without hurting me? I walk out of my room and downstairs, I see everyone else already awake.

"Good morning!" Shouts the two sisters.

"What happened to your clothes?" Aomi asks.

"I really have no idea, I just woke up like this. I think God doesn't like it when I wake up. Hahaha!" I exclaim.

"Come eat, you must be hungry from yesterday." Aomi said. She held out a plate of vegetables and meat. For some reason this made me think about her dad. He may have known what attacked Aomi!

"I'm not hungry, but please may I speak to your dad?" I ask.

"Yes, I think he's gone out to the mountain front like he does every morning." She tells me. I head out to the mountain front and see a man standing there watching the sun rise. He was a tall man, roughly 6"0 and has brown hair. His body was that of an average man's.

"Excuse me, but are you Aomi's father? If so, can you please explain what had attacked Aomi?" I ask. He just stood there, not saying a word as if I was invisible to him. The sun rose above the horizon, and he turned.

"At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without complete understanding. These words were written by Norman Maclean." he said.

"Indeed I am Aomi's father. Although before I answer your question may you first answer mine?" he asked me.

"Of course." I said.

"Why did you save my daughter? Was it a mere whim? Or was it because she was pretty?" He asks.

"I did it because I knew it was the right thing to do... If I had just left her there I knew she would die. I wouldn't ever let anyone die unless I absolutely couldn't do anything about it." I answer.

"Well said... I believe I can trust you. That thing I saw that day... It had the shape of a human, but a deathly presence came from this thing. The presence felt as if... it would suck the life out of your body, it was dreadful. I tried my hardest to run and stop it, but I was petrified in fear. I couldn't move at all, until another figure came out and attacked it. Aomi was caught in the crossfire and knocked off of the mountain... Ever since then I searched and searched for her. It was all my fault. If only I was not such a coward!" This man seemed to quiver from his own memory of this monster.

"Thank you for your help." I said. I walk back to the cottage, thinking where I would go now. None of these things seem to toggle my memory but the name Saul... Maybe I was asking about the wrong things? I should ask Aomi about Saul. I went up to Aomi's room and knocked on her door.

"Hello? Aomi?" I opened the door. She was not there. I could see the window opened, it looked as if a man broke into Aomi's room and ran off with her! I have to find her and get her back. She's the only person who I remember! I ran out following the traces of broken tree branches and tracks in the snow. They lead me to a place that seemed like a mansion. The wood it was built from was nearly rotten and it had an eerie feeling around the whole mansion. Who would ever think there would be a mansion in this deserted mountain home to wild animals? I ran straight up to the mansion, the door was locked tight and it seems that nobody is inside. I knock down the rotten door and look around inside, even then I barely saw anything, it was so dark even in broad daylight.

"Hello?" I yell into the darkness. There was no response, I walk up the stairs. Just when I reach the top staircase I hear the door open, a tall dark man walked into the room along with two other women with him. Aomi was not there, but the other two women and that man somehow seem strangely familiar...

"Are the preparations ready for tonight?" Asks the first woman.

"Of course, who do you think I am?" Said the man.

"I smell something... it smells like a wolf's sneaked into our home..." Said the second woman.

"It doesn't matter, the whole place reeks of wolves, it's only natural to think that." Said the first woman. Who were these people? I wouldn't want to approach them and ask... they don't seem like the kind of people you just have an idle chat with. I'd best be on my way if I want to find Aoni. I walk towards the stairs in the back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Said the man. How could he know I was there?! Something tells me these people are not ordinary... Suddenly the man appears in front of me, I couldn't even follow his movements clearly!

"You'll make good company for our other guest." He said before grabbing me and taking me to a basement full of corpses. He throws me into a dark room.

"Enjoy your stay... while you're alive." He said.

"Umm... hello?" Said a voice.

"Hello? Who's there?" I ask.

"My name's Aomi, I was caught and taken here." She tells me.

"Aomi! I was out searching for you! I'm so happy I made it before anything happened to you." I said.

"Oh, it's you! The person who saved me... You went through all the trouble to find me again? Thanks... but now we're both stuck and it's all my fault!" Aomi start to cry.

"Don't worry, it'll work out somehow." I said. I held her close with me. I know this feeling... I've felt it before, like that first time I woke up in the graveyard. This exhilarating feeling. Is it because I'm with Aomi? I don't know but... I know I can bust us out of here now! I feel it, the energy running through my veins, the power surging in my arms... I feel like I could even break through a brick wall!

"Aomi, you may think I'm crazy for saying this... but I think I can bust us through this wall." I tell her.

"What?! Are you crazy? You'll kill yourself doing that!" Aomi exclaims in worry.

"I don't know why, but whenever I'm by your side I feel a strange energy rise in me... I need your full support if I want to try breaking us out before we're killed!" I said.

"...Ok. I trust you, if you believe you can do it, I'll put all my trust in you!" Aomi says to me. I know she trusts me, I know I can do this. I dash at the wall as fast as I can and tackle it!

"ARGH!!!! MY ARM!!! Oh my God! Ow!" I yell.

"Oh my God are you alright?!" Aomi asks me. I got up and checked the place where I tackled the wall. I noticed there was actually a large crack in it!

"Aomi, I think the wall's nearly broken, if we can just open this crack we can get out!" I tell her.

"Ok, but with what? You don't look like you can tackle it again, but I can't do anything either." She says.

"Well... Damn it. Let's look for something..." I said.

"Wait, do you hear that?" I ask her. She shook her head no. The sound got louder, it sounded like scratching... The wall burst open, to see the same pack of wolves that helped me before!

"Get on my back." I tell her. I ran along the wolves, I was running a lot faster than before, and Aomi seemed much lighter!

"Why are they helping us? This seems a bit strange, doesn't it?" She asks.

"They helped me last time, and it looks like they came back to help again." I said. I heard another sound again, it seemed to be getting closer and closer, it was him again! That strange man!

"Aomi, let them take you back to the cottage, I'll stay back here and deal with him." I said. I let Aomi down on one of the wolves.

"That's crazy! You can't stop someone like him!" She yelled. Aomi was carried off on the wolves while the man followed.

"Where do you think you're going?" I said.

"So insignificant." He said. It was dark out, and the moon was barely out. I jump at him, but he appears behind me right before I could touch him.

"You seem to be getting slower than last time." I said. I grabbed hold of his arm before he could attack me through pure instinct.

"Hmm... You may be more troublesome than I thought." he said. He appeared to my right this time, he attacked me with his arm again, but I dodged it and appeared behind him. I thrashed him with my body as hard as I could.

"I know what you are... you're one of them aren't you? I'll withdraw for now, but next time I see you, I won't hold back." He said right before he disappeared into the dark. I hurried back to the cottage.


	3. The Departure

Chapter 3

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid."  
-- Bible, Isaiah xi. 6.

The departure-

I walk back to the cottage and walk into the door.

"You made it back safely!" Aomi yells while running up to hug me.

"Yeah, are you alright?" I ask her.

"Yes. I'm fine." She tells me.

"Where is everyone else?" I ask.

"My sisters are in bed and my parents are talking abut something in their room. But how'd you get away from that man?" She asks me.

"I thrashed him, and then he said something about knowing "what," I was." I said.

"What a weird person... and why did he capture us and put us in that creepy dungeon? Do you think they're murderers or something?" She asks.

"I don't know, I think it's something even worse than that..." I said.

"This is getting really bad, huh? Well it's getting late... I'll get you another change of clothes." She tells me. I get a feeling I'm getting a bit troublesome... I should leave soon. I still have no idea where to go, but something will work out.

"Good night, Aomi." I said.

"Good night." Aomi said. I have to find out what keeps happening when I sleep, so I decide to stay up all night. It isn't the best plan, but it's a plan. I stayed up until dawn and nothing happened. Not a single thing. Maybe I was imagining things all those nights? Someone knocked on my door, it was Aomi.

"It's open." I said with a loud yawn.

"Good morning! I have something to tell you, though..." She said.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Come outside..." she tells me. I walk out with her, she locks the door.

"We're leaving." She said.

"What?! You're leaving? Why?!" I yell.

"Last night while my mom and dad were talking they said this place is way too dangerous for us to stay. So we're moving back to our old house..." She tells me. We are both speechless. Neither of us know what to say.

"But where are you going to go now? You don't remember anything about where you came from or who you are..." She said.

"That reminds me, who's Saul? When you were nearly faint you asked me if I was Saul." I ask.

"Saul? Saul is my brother... Saul is why we came here... We followed him here while he was researching animals. Then one night he just... disappeared. We have no idea where he went. That's why I went out looking... it's been a week since we've seen him, but we can't stay here any longer. It's too dangerous... I'm sorry..." She said. She started crying.

"Aomi, are you done packing? We're about to leave! Say good bye to your friend!" Her dad yells. I really want to tell Aomi how I feel... and that I love her. Wouldn't it be too sudden? If I say I love her she might even want to stay with me...

"Is there anything that you want to tell me before I go?" She asks. I see it in her eyes... she wants me to say those words... but I can't!

"...No..." I say.

"Then I guess I should go... good bye." She says with a fake smile on her face. In here eyes I could see tears forming.

"Wait." I said. I grab hold of her arm and hug her.

"I promise we'll meet again someday..." I tell her. She says nothing and wipes the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah..." She says. She lets go of me and walks into the car. They drive off.

"You did the right thing." Someone said behind me.

"Who's there?" I ask them.

"My name is Tanu. I've been watching you ever since you've been here." He said. I turn around. Tanu was really tall. He was probably 6"8. He had silver hair and a very loud voice.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know me?!" I ask.

"Now, is that anyway to speak with your father?" He said. I was in shock and awe.

"You're my... dad? You've been watching me the whole time?! Why are we here?! How did I get here?! What keeps happening to me every night?!" I ask.

"Slow down, son. First of all that thing that keeps happening to you at night... you turn into a wolf. You're a lycan." He told me.

"I'M A WEREWOLF?! Ok, I think you're insane or something! Werewolves don't exist! How the hell am I-" I stopped talking. He turned into a silver wolf right in front of my eyes.

"Do you believe me now?" He asks.

"You can still speak... even though you're a wolf?" I ask.

"Of course. Now... I'll tell you all you need to know... from the beginning." He said.


	4. Never Forget

Chapter 4

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  
-- George Santayana (1863 - 1952)

Never Forget-

"Your name is Takkaru. It was a mixture of my name and your mother's, my name is Tanu, your mother's was Mikkaru. You were born 19 years ago, April 12, 1979. You were a very special child, not only because of your natural strength and potential, but because of the year you were born. Every 500 years a great war arises between us Lycans and Vampires. The next war will start at the year 2000. By the time the next war starts you'll be in your prime, and you will lead us into battle!" He explains.

"What's the point of this war every 500 years? Why must I lead them?" I ask.

"The war started over 1,000 years ago. On the events of Ragnarök, "The final destiny of the Gods," it is said to be. This was the day when war would be waged, good against evil, heaven and hell. Loki was the fire God and led the evil against Thor and the other Norse Gods. On this day Fenrir defeated and killed Odin. Odin is said to be "the leader of souls," and worshipped by many. Fenrir was a fearsome destructive wolf without control, he killed and destroyed without restraint. Due to the gods' knowledge of prophecies foretelling great trouble from Fenrir and his rapid growth, the gods bound him, and as a result Fenrir bit off the right hand of the god Týr. Although on the very same day, Fenrir was also defeated by Odin's son Víðarr. We are the descendants from Fenrir himself. Fenrir was the offspring of Loki, but our pack has chosen to protect nature, and go against Loki. Although most of the evil had died during the battle of Ragnarök, some survived. Such as the cult of Camazotz began around 100 B.C. among the Zapotec Indians, the cult of Camazotz worshiped an anthropomorphic monster with the body of a human, head of a bat. It had offsprings of bat like creatures like itself, but with even more human characteristics. These were called vampires. Most are evil, but like us some choose to live a path opposite of their ancestors. Five hundred years ago was the first true war against the vampires, our first leader was named Hakkayu. Like you, he was very strong and versitile at birth. So much that he could barely control himself, he himself had a true heart like Fenrir's. No one could control him, none but a woman named Mayoma. Hakkayu was in love with Mayoma, and eventually learned to subdue himself so he would not harm her. On the day of the war Mayoma stood beside Hakkayu to ensure he would not lose himself, even with all of his strength Hakkayu could not protect Mayoma. She died that night... the moment she was killed Hakkayu lost himself in rage and distress. He killed all of the vampires that did not flee for their lives, but in his rage he started killing the Lycan too! Even our strongest warriors could not stop him, in the end the whole pack had to kill him." He tells me. I stood there in silence.

"The night that you lost your memory was when me, you, and Saul who was bitten on his own free will in order to become a lycan left to raid a home of vampires. We were in charge of protecting this land, and innocent animals or people in it. We ran to the mansion on the edge of the forest, but didn't see them there. We found traces of them leaving, so we followed the tracks. We travelled to a cottage and saw a woman being approached by a vampire. Saul lost his wolf state and fell to the ground, clutching his head and shouting 'Aomi!' You acted on instinct, and jumped at the vampire. You sent the girl tumbling down the mountain with the vampire and yourself. I followed you with Saul on my back, but the vampire escaped. I pursued the vampire but I was not fast enough with Saul on my back... before I knew it I lost both you and the vampire's trace. I found my way back to the pack, but couldn't find you anywhere." He explained. I stood there trying to digest all this information. I didn't know what to think, I was just told that I was to lead a pack of lycans against a clan of vampires... Why couldn't I live a normal life?!

"What am I to do now, to be prepared to lead the Lycans?" I ask.

"You have only 2 years to prepare. This may sound like a lot of time to you, but there is much to do..." He said to me. He motioned to me to follow him. He took me to the forest where the pack of wolves who helped me were. There were seven in the pack, including my me.

"These are the 5 other chosen lycans to protect this area, they were chosen for their endurance and determination. Their names are Alexii, Balistick, Lypin, Namara, and Ramel. Each one have their own specialties, Alexii will help you in your agility, Balistick will work to improve your strength, Lypin will make you understand what is within yourself. Namara and Ramel will take you to experience true battles, when you are ready. Last I myself, will help unleash your true potential... when it is time." He said.

"How will I know when it is time?" I ask.

"You will know when you are ready." He said. The sun is setting.

"It looks like it's getting dark, should we turn in?" I ask no one in particular. They were laughing at me.

"You're kidding, right? You realize that we are lycans? We thrive in the night... but tonight, it is a new moon, and we will not be at our strongest. You who are only a werewolf, will not transform in the new moon. You will only transform fully when the moon is at it's fullest. While we lycans, have connected our souls with the wolves within ourselves long before. You yourself could do this at a very young age, but amnesia has broken the chain that bonds you and your spirits." Lypin explained. Lypin was one of the smaller wolves, he was a pure white wolf with very dark brown eyes. It seems he is a master of camouflage.

"I see... so will you start training me tonight to help connect my souls once more?" I ask, confused.

"Yes... we can only do this once a month, before the moon reverts back to the 7 other stages. It goes like this: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent. You can only practice until the point you can transform at your will. For a regular werewolf it takes at least 10 months to learn to connect, until they can control the wolf within themselves. We don't have time to waste here... We will start now! Follow me!" He said right before dashing off, I couldn't even see him! I looked at Alexii as she signalled to use my ears. I close my eyes, listening to the sounds in the forest. I hear them... things a normal person would never hear... I hear the snowy owl's wings flapping... I hear bears snoring in hibernation... I hear rustling in the trees... It's him! It's Lypin!

"I hear you, Lypin!" I yell as I run off in his direction. I can see him in the trees... Maybe if i climb up a tree I can catch him! I start climbing a pine tree. I jump from tree branch to tree branch.

"Excellent! You're developing a lot faster than I expected... these results usually take at least 3 weeks!" He exclaims. "Let's see if you can handle a bit more..." He jumps off a tree and lands in the snow, he doesn't leave a single track uncovered. I can't see him anywhere... maybe if I use another sense other than sight or hearing. What if I use my nose? I sniff the air and smell a lot of different things. Rotting rabbit flesh on bones... the smell of pine trees... the smell of a wolf! I follow the scent through the snow and find Lypin sitting in a meditative state.

"I found you, Lypin." I say to him.

"It seems that you have... you seem to be able to release some of your abilities... hearing and smelling. You've experienced many things humans will never know of already, but the second step is not to prepare you physically, but spiritually. Come, sit." He commands me.

"In this freezing snow? I'd probably get frostbite in 2 minutes..." I said back.

"I told you to sit, not whine. You're just wasting valuable time." He told me. I sat in the snow. This isn't as cold as I thought... I guess my body is already getting stronger.

"Now... try and remember, when you were young. Try and find yourself... remember the link you had within your soul, find your inner wolf." He says. I try and try and try... Huh? Where am I now? Geez... everytime I wake up something bad always happens. It looks like a dark forest... and the moon is full here.

"Hello? Anybody there?" I yell in the distance. Nothing responds but the echo of my own voice. This place is very awkward. Things seem... out of place, almost. What was that? I could've sworn I heard something behind me, maybe it was Lypin playing one of his tricks again?

"Hey, Lypin! Come out! Quit playing these games!" I shout. Nothing happens. There he is again! It's like he's investigating me... maybe this wasn't Lypin? At that moment a ferocious wolf jumped out in front of me! Hmm... this wolf seems familiar, he looks just like my dad in wolf form... just a LOT bigger.

"Hey, calm down there, Fido! I wanna leave just as much as you want me out!" I tell the wolf. He growls angrily.

"You don't take me for a simple mutt, do you? I can't believe you've forgotten me, after all the times I had to fight off that vampire without you calling on me..." It growls.

"What do you mean? You're not gonna tell me you're my inner wolf, are you?" I ask him.

"Yes, I am. The last 4 nights I had to summon myself with the help of energy from the moon, how could you lose your memory? You're such a helpless baby." He said to me.

"Well, if I'm such a helpless baby, help guide me." I say.

"Hahaha! You've got some spunk at least, kid. If you want to be able to summon me without losing your consciousness, you'll need to form a bond with me. If you fail, you will forever lay unconscious and your spirit will decay. If that happens, I will take over your empty shell! Remember this, the strongest form will manifest itself in this body. Take it like this... while you live, flesh will manifest itself on your body, but when death takes over your body will revert to bones. The strongest form will always take over. Too bad for you that it won't be too easy for you to take me over without your dad's help this time." He explains.

"How're we supposed to bond anyway?" I ask.

"Simple... We fight!" He roars. He dashes off in a blur. Where'd he go... he's too fast to see! He's not behind me... he's not next to me... he's not anywhere to be seen! Unless...

"I see you!" I yell at him, seeing him diving down from upwards to attack me. I jump backwards.

"Too slow!" He growls. I hit the ground. What was that...? I didn't even see him coming... I could barely think before I felt my body hit the ground. I feel it. His claws are deep in my back.

"Aack... H-how'd you get there so fast...? I didn't notice you even moved until I hit the ground..." I could barely speak.

"What's wrong? Dead already? Pathetic! You could never lead anything! This is all because of that girl. She's made you soft. I didn't even have to fight to take your body these last few nights, the only reason you even got close to finding Lypin was that your soul is so fragile my powers are seeping into you!" He provoked._ Is... is he telling the truth? Is it really... Aomi's fault? No! I loved her.. and that's what made me stronger!_

"What, still alive? You're better than I thought, but not even close to strong enough to beat me without your dad watching your ever step! You especially can't beat me with your soul softened by that Aomi." He said.

"Y-you... Don't talk about h-her... You don't know anything about her!" I yell at him.

"Hahaha, yelling will only make you die faster. I'll talk about that _bitch_ as much as I want, you hear me?" He said.

"You... you say anything about Aomi... and **I'LL KILL YOU**!!!" I scream at the top of my lungs. I got up, gushing with blood, and smash his face in with my fist!

"You little bastard!" He roars at me and jumped at me.

"I'm gonna kill you!" I yell, while he pounces at me I dodge to the right, grab his tail and throw him into a tree.

"Not so tough now, are you, Fido?" I said, panting.

"YOU'RE GONNA DIE HERE AND NOW!" He said, baring his teeth running up to me to bite me to death.

"If I die now, how am I gonna keep that promise I made to Aomi?!" I yell, before his jaw could snap on me I keep his mouth open using my legs and arms. I could feel my body wanting to quit, my knees wanting to buckle... I feel sharp pains all over my body... I've lost so much blood...

"S-sorry... Aomi..." His jaws snap close... I feel them breaking every bone in my body... I can't... see...


	5. Determination Defies Death

Chapter 5

Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

-- Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)

Determination Defies Death-

It's so dark... How long has it been here...? I open my eyes. I'm back in the forest?!

"I'm still alive? I could've sworn I died..." I ask.

"You did. Your spirit was overcome and absorbed by your inner wolf. The moment that happened your body reverted to it's wolf state and it attacked Lypin. You're pretty powerful, Takkaru. Lypin is healing up right now, he barely made it out with 9 scratches on his body. He had enough energy to tell us what had happened, though. I had to come back myself, only to see you lying on a tree trunk." Tanu explains.

"Well then... how am I still here?" I ask.

"You have to ask Lypin, he's the one who saw everything." he says to me. He leads me to Lypin lying in a bed, I walk in. Without opening his eyes Lypin immediately responds to me.

"Takkaru, I see you're doing well... I know you intend to ask me what happened, so I'll begin from when your soul was crushed. The moment your soul was crushed your body flared strong dark spiritual energy, it nearly overcame me. The only thing I could do was try to bring you back to your senses, I asked you why you fight. What is fighting without meaning but endless violence? You stopped right there, I saw that light in your eyes you had come back. You fell to the ground and lost your wolf state." That's right... I remember so clearly now... My soul was restored. I felt the moon's light shine on me. It felt like a dream. I was flying... I was sure I was... my hands were claws, and I had fangs. I could barely control myself... I jumped down, rushed into him ripped open his chest! I remember what he said before his soul was taken over...

"It looks like you had it in you after all, kid. Don't you forget, if you ever slip up, I'll drag you down and crush your skull!" He said, even though he was barely breathing. Right after that his soul materializied into a necklace with a tooth on it around my neck. Then I woke up back here... I feel my neck. It's still there! It wasn't a dream!

"It seems you've recovered your memory quite fast." Lypin said.

"Man, you've gotta stop doing that! You're creeping me out!" I exclaim.

"There's one last thing I have to tell you, Takkaru. That necklace you have… protect it at all costs, if you lose that… your wolf will again try to take your soul. Well, I suggest you should run off. Your next challenge awaits."

"Alright Lypin, get better soon." I say. I head back towards the pack, I hear something… suddenly a black blur came up to me, I grab hold of it's arm and flip it over me. It was Balistick, he was very large and intimidating, even more so than my father. He has deep green eyes and huge fangs along with claws.

"Your next lesson begins with me. Before we head anywhere, let's see what you can dish out. Come at me with full strength!" He shouts.

"Alright." I did what I did before. I tried finding a link between our souls… I feel it… power surging in my chest. I unleash it! I feel my body morphing, my teeth and hands changing to fangs and claws. My muscles and fur growing around my body. This form takes up so much energy… and my mind isn't very clear…

"Careful… I still can't control it… very well!" I growl while trying to transform. I howl out and jump overtop of Balistick, coming down in a spiral to punch him.

"Hmm, your technique holds little control, and much emphasis on attack. Too bad you can barely beat any vampire over 10 years old with that technique!" He yells. He grabs my spiraling body and slams me into the ground. I lose my transformation.

"Aack… I guess I could use some practice." I pant.

"Hmph, sure looks like it. How'd you ever manage to tame that wolf? It feels like you're holding back. It's about that girl, isn't it?" He questions me.

"…I guess… I still miss her… How do you know about her?"

"That girl… I suggest you forget about her and lose your feelings for her. She's not one of us, she would eventually betray you and kill you… I don't think you or her even know it yet, but your father told us she had much stranger power then you could imagine… Although for now, Let's practice sparring! Transform!" He roars.

"Transform again? It's so tiring… I don't think I can transform more then once a day…"

"I told you to transform, not to whine. This is strength training, practice how long you can stay transformed. Now go!" He demands. I get up out of the dirt, expending all my energy just to stand. I shut my eyes. I have to concentrate… There it is again… the energy! This time it feels different… I release it once again!

"I knew you had it in you, kid!" Balistick shouts in encouragement.

"Wait… what is _that_?" Balistick looks at me, confused. It seems my transformation didn't really work… only my fangs grew out, and nothing else!

"Hahaha! I guess you did exhaust all your energy on that last transformation. I guess we'll train as humans! Let's go!" Balistick yells and grabs me, running both of us out of the forest at lightning speed. The next thing I know I see Balistick standing as a human, he is still quite intimidating and big…

"Where are we now?" I ask.

"Just look behind you." He says, very eager. I turn around to see the entire forest of a mountain cliff. The view is beautiful, the sun setting below the horizon, the vast and ever expanding forest.

"Yes… nature is beautiful, isn't it? Although, that's not the reason why we're here!" He shouts. He drives his fist into my stomach, knocking me over the cliff.

"If you really wish to live, save yourself!" He says dashing down next to me, he disappears. What the hell am I supposed to manage to learn from this?! I'm falling so fast I can already see the bottom… I have to transform!

"You could barely transform at full strength, but yet you can transform with a tiny sliver of the moon shining, and in such a state of panic. Interesting."

"You bastard!!" I scream while I jump at Balistick, fangs showing, claws ready to tear him to shreds. He transforms in a split second, matching my claws with his own.

"Too lax!" I knee him in his stomach, making him lose his grip. I punch him in his snout.

"Why would you punch me off a cliff you bastard?!" I snarl at him.

"I just wanted to see what you could do, and seeing this… I don't think I need to hold back!" He growled, eager to fight.

"If it's a fight you want, you're gonna get it!" I clench my fist, ready to smash his head into the ground, but before I could manage that Balistick grabs me by my head and crushes me into the ground. I trip him using my legs, grabbing his left leg and throwing him across the forest. I dash towards his flying body, jumping up next to him.

"What happened, I thought you'd be better than this!" I provoke him.

"Don't get so cocky." He warns me. He kicks me in the back, putting me in front of him. He rams me and elbows me in my stomach. Balistick grabs my leg and throws me into the ground. I lose my transformation.

"You've still got a lot to learn, but you're doing much better than this morning. Let's head back, you could use some rest." He says to me. He picks me up out of the ground and dashes back towards the pack. Just as fast as he brought me to the mountain, he brought me back to the forest.

"Hehe Balistick, you roughed him up a bit, didn't you? Be careful not to kill him, we need him." Alexii said.

"Hey, they have to learn one way or another." Balistick set me down on the snow.

"You didn't have to hurt him that bad, pooky bear." She said. I'm not sure if it was just me, or if Balistick was actually blushing, I guess Alexii and Balistick have a something haha…

"I-I thought I told you not to say that in front of anyone!" Balistick said, embarrassed.

"Aw don't worry about it, he won't remember. You wouldn't have to worry if you didn't hurt him so bad anyway, pooky bear." She said, giggiling at Balistick.

"Alexii, I guess I'll leave him in your care for now then, since you're going to be training with him tomorrow. Good luck, don't worry about him. He'll heal up tomorrow just fine. The kid's tough."

"Alrighty, see you later pooky bear." Alexii said, proceeding to give Balistick a kiss on the cheek. Balistick saying nothing dashed off without a trace.

"Hey, Takkaru, right? You should get some rest. Tomorrow's not gonna be any easier than today." Alexii tells me. Saying nothing, I roll over and go to sleep.


	6. Moving Back

Chapter 6

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."

-- Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

Moving Back-

It's only been a day since we've moved back home, and I can't stop thinking about him… I don't even know his name but he felt so similar… It's as if our souls are connected…

"Aomi! How long are you going to stay in the shower? It's time for school! Hurry up and get dressed or you're gonna be late!" My mother frantically yells.

"Alright mom! I'm coming!" I yell in response. I turn off the hot water, step out and dry myself off. I look at myself in the mirror, brush and dry my hair. I brush my teeth and pick out my yellow top and jeans. I walk downstairs.

"Aomi, how long are you going to need your mother to tell you when to get ready? You're 16, you need to start taking responsibility for yourself, I'm not always gonna be around, Aomi." She lectures me while I grab my bag and jacket.

"Yeah I know mom, you've told me a million times, I have to go now or I'll be late!" I yell while jetting out the door. I wait by the stop for the bus. That guy over there keeps staring at me… creepy…

"Aomiiiii!!" Someone shouted from behind me. I turned around to find it was Emily, my best friend. She hasn't changed a bit these past weeks, she still has her blonde hair tied in a ponytail, wearing jeans with a purple sweater. We've been best friends since grade 2.

"Emily! Long time no see! How are you?"

"I'm doing great, Aomi! Oh, but guess what! Kyle asked me out!! I couldn't believe it!" Kyle was Emily's crush ever since he moved here from Romania in grade 9, a lot of the girls liked him, but Kyle didn't show much interest in any of them.

"Wow! Congratulations! When did he ask you out?" I ask.

"He asked me out yesterday! It was kind of strange though, he asked me if I knew you well. Then he asked me something about a fang, he's so weird, but I love him!

"Okay then Emily, good luck with Kyle." I said with a smile on my face, but why would Kyle ask about me? I don't even know him… and I doubt he's in love with me. This is weird…

"Hey, Aomi! The bus is here! C'mon!" Emily yells while grabbing my arm and pulling me into the bus. Me and Emily both show the bus driver our bus cards and take our seats.

"Is there something wrong, Aomi? You seem so caught up in thought. That reminds me, how'd your trip go? Did you find your brother?" Emily asks.

"…No we didn't, we had to leave because strange things kept happening…"

"I'm so sorry for you… I hope your brother comes back… that trip must've been horrible!"

"Well, not all of it, exactly…"

"Oh? What happened?"

"Well… during the trip I met someone… he saved my life."

"Ooo who was it? Was he cute?"

"Well… actually he was pretty cute…"

"Aomi! You're blushing haha!"

"Not so loud! We're on a public bus, you know."

"Well what does he look like?"

"Well, he had light silver hair, and he was at least 6 feet…"

"Silver hair? Do you think he bleaches his hair? Well, what was his name?"

"I don't even know… he had amnesia, but… it felt strange being with him, like I already knew him."

"Well, I hope you see him again one day. Oh! This is our stop! Cmon!" Me and Emily walk out of the bus and towards our school.

"Kyle!!!!" Emily shouts in my ear while she runs towards him and hugs him. A lot of girls stare enviously at Emily.

"Haha… at least one of us is happy. I don't see what they like in him though." I tell myself. I walk into school and to class. Same old class again… I guess I might as well get used to it……

"Geez, class was boring as usual, we have a test tomorrow too and I don't have any notes down!" Emily said.

"Yeah…"

"Hey, cmon don't be so sad! Look here comes Brandon!" Emily tells me. Brandon was always a good friend to me too, he has light brown hair, blue eyes, and about 5'6. I've known him since he came to my school in grade 7. He always had a crush on me, everyone knows, but he's never asked me out.

"Hey Aomi, I heard about the trip from Emily… sorry about what happened to your brother." He said.

"Don't worry, my brother's smart. He's not going to get eaten by a bear that quickly…

"Well, you still seem upset. Is it about that guy you met… ?"

"Yeah… I guess. He just seemed… familiar."

"But you don't even know his name…"

"Yeah, but I know I love him, and he loves me too…" When I said that, I saw Brandon's eyes sadden.

"I'm sorry, Brandon…"

"Sorry about what? I didn't say anything! Haha." Brandon says, faking a smile. After lunch and class me and Emily left again to take our bus home.

"Emily… Do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask.

"Why would you say that?"

"Well… when I told Brandon, didn't you see the look in his eyes?"

"Yeah… but he always told me being friends with you was enough, you wouldn't believe how many times he tried to ask you out."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel better…"

"Sorry, I'm just saying… but what makes you so sure you'll ever meet him again?"

"Because… because he promised to me that we'd meet again. I know that we will."

"Wow… well I hope you will, then…"

"This is my stop, goodbye, Emily."

"See you tomorrow!" Emily yells from the bus window. I turn to go back home. I see someone in the alleyway next to my home… isn't it that the weird guy from this morning? I shoud hurry home… I go from quickly walking to jogging, but he still follows me. I stop in my tracks and turn around.

"What do you want from me?!" I yell out at him. He says nothing.

"Why are you following me?! I saw you this morning by the bus stop too! Get away from me you creeper!" I scream. He lunges at me and grabs my neck.

"You… give me the diamond fang!" He yells at me. I can't breathe, let alone speak… I'm getting so tired… it's fading to black…

"To think, such a weak girl could be the descendant of Makyri…" He says while loosening his grip on my throat. I take a large gasp of air.

"Who's Makyri? I don't know what you're talking about…" I ask him.

"Hmph, seems as though you haven't fully awoken, yet. Until then… I'll be watching you." He jumps off of me and dashes off. I get off the ground and dust off my clothes. What the hell was that guy talking about? Diamond fang? My ancestor? That guy's nuts… but until I give him what he wants he's not gonna leave me alone… I run down the street to my home. I open the door and walk into my home.

"Mom, I'm home!" I announce.

"Welcome home sweety!" She replies.

"Mom, I have a question, could you come into the living room?"

"Yeah sure, what is it honey?" We both sit down on the couch.

"Mom… do you know anything about a person named Makyri?" I ask my mother. She sits there quietly with a star struck look on her face.

"Aomi! How did you know about this person? Who did you hear it from?" She asks.

"I was attacked while I was trying to come home from school… and this man said something about a diamond fang and my ancestor being Makyri…"

"I never thought this day would have to come but I always knew this day would come, ever since you were born… I'll tell you."


End file.
